


Life is what happens ...

by NairobiWonders



Category: Elementary (TV)
Genre: Committed Relationship, F/M, Found Family, Friendship, Joanlock - Freeform, Love, committment, discreet relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:07:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21814183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NairobiWonders/pseuds/NairobiWonders
Summary: Bear with me, I’m trying to find my voice again.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & Joan Watson (Elementary) & Kitty Winter, Sherlock Holmes/Joan Watson (Elementary)
Comments: 32
Kudos: 123





	1. Chapter 1

Sherlock, in typical Sherlock hyper-defensive stance, shoulders thrown back and chest puffed out, jutted his chin, this way and that, then fidgeted with his tie before muttering something to Watson. Ever patient, at least in public, she reached for his collar, adjusted it and smoothed it down while offering soft words that visibly calmed him and lessened his discomfort.

Kitty, sitting with Archie and Arthur, watched and smiled. She remembered the first time she witnessed the effect Watson had on her mentor......

> Having recently arrived in New York City, she was attempting to acclimate to the change in environment and relationships. Kitty was not alone in this endeavor.
> 
> Sherlock and Watson stood before the library mantel, its wall a hodgepodge of photos, reports, receipts and odd bits of tape and string. Kitty sat slouched behind them.
> 
> Trained by Sherlock to read body language, Kitty examined their stance, their bodies held rigidly away from the other, the brittle snips of commentary delivered with no eye contact and met with indifference. She wondered how they ever became partners in the first place. Was this the glorious Watson whose praises Sherlock had sung of ad nauseam, who he had held up to her as the epitome of all that she could and should be? They seemed to pretty much hate each other.
> 
> Strained moments passed, frozen side by side in silence, focused on the evidence, until Watson pointed and made a quiet observation, a deduction followed. Sherlock’s demeanor changed, warmed. He pursued her line of thought and leapt with her to a tentative conclusion. Watson drew closer; eye contact made, her face lit with satisfaction, and the work continued.
> 
> Before Kitty’s eyes, they transformed into the mythical Holmes and Watson she had heard so much about......

“I need to go potty.” Arthur’s voice pulled Kitty back into the moment. Before she could stop him, Arthur ran up to Sherlock “Can we go potty ... now?”

Sherlock took the boy’s hand, “Certainly.” He nodded at Joan, “If you’ll excuse us, Watson...”

“You will come back, right?” She teased.

He raised an eyebrow and smirked, “Perhaps.” Arthur tugged at his hand and led Sherlock down the glossy waxed hallway.

Joan folded her arms in front of her and monitored their progress. Her eyes shone with happiness.

“You really do love that old curmudgeon, don’t you?”

An embarrassed Joan smiled at Kitty, ducked her head down and away. “I need a sip of water. I’ll be right back. Do you want to come with me, Archie?” She extended her hand to the boy who jumped at the chance of sharing some time with his aunt.

Kitty grinned at the discomfort her question caused Watson. She and Sherlock were so odd, so secretive, about their relationship. The depth of their commitment to each other, the bond they shared, was not a secret to anyone who spent more than half an hour in their presence. Perhaps it was the depth of the emotion, how vulnerable its existence left two very private people, that kept it something shared only between them.

While visiting them in London, she had accidentally caught them in a private moment. They were standing close together before 221B’s front window and so engaged with each other they didn’t notice her approach (which for two highly skilled detectives spoke volumes about their connection). Sherlock was ever so gently caressing Watson’s cheek with the back of his hand, his thumb lightly tracing her jawline. The look of adoration on his face was reflected a hundred-fold in hers as she stared into his eyes.

Simple, yet so intensely intimate, seeing them share this moment left Kitty embarrassed for intruding. She had silently skulked into the shadows, hoping they hadn’t noticed.

The reverberation of the boys’ voices mixed with the clipped steps of heels down the narrow hall alerted her to her family’s return to the waiting area. So very much had changed and so very much was still the same.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm going out as I came, in with my grammar and tenses all over the place ... hopefully it makes some sense. Thank you for reading.

The door slowly swung open into the hall. All eyes were trained on the mustached gentleman as he checked his papers and called out, “C142 Holmes Watson.”

With a collective intake of breath, Kitty, the boys, and then Sherlock and Joan, followed the man into the Clerk’s office. They arranged themselves before the podium while the officiant gathered the paperwork.

Kitty had received their call four days ago. Marriage! It was to be civil ceremony at the City Clerk’s, minimal, no guests, no reception, no celebration. She would be their sole witness. 

Sherlock and Joan explained, several times in fact, separately and in tandem, that they had decided on marrying solely for Arthur’s sake, to better be able to rear and protect the child .... a marriage of convenience, purely for legal purposes.

Kitty saw right through them of course - a custodian/guardianship agreement, a clause in Joan’s will, a minor’s trust, an adoption - all would have safeguarded Arthur. Simple. But they? They chose marriage instead. 

Kitty didn’t argue the point. They obviously wanted this and so did she. She agreed to their “terms.” It was an honor to be trusted to witness their union. 

Sherlock and Joan stood side by side, the space between them slowly narrowing as if being magnetically drawn to each other. They listened intently to the words used to bind countless couples before them, answering and repeating what was asked of them to repeat, with slight variations. 

“I ...” Sherlock took her hand in his and looking up into her eyes, lost all sense of time and place. Her thumb moved lightly against his fingers and she brought him back into the moment. He cleared his throat and started once more. 

“I, Sherlock Holmes, take you, Joan Watson, to be my spouse, my partner ...” his voice dropped to a barely audible whisper, “... my love ... for as long as we both shall live.” He slipped the gold band onto her finger. 

Her eyes shone with tears as she took his hand in hers; she swallowed hard and found her voice, husky with emotion “I, Joan Watson, take you, Sherlock Holmes, to be my spouse, my partner, my love, for as long as we both shall live.” She placed the ring on his finger and looked up into eyes that could barely contain the moment’s emotion. 

“I now pronounce you man and wife.” The official spoke loud and clear and made them both slightly jump. “You may kiss the bride.”

Sherlock without hesitation dipped his head down to hers, brushing her lips lightly with his. Joan rose her lips more fully to his and they shared a tender kiss.

The sounds of Kitty’s sniffling, the footsteps of Arthur running towards them, the congratulatory statement from the officiant, all whirled about them as their arms wound around each other and held each other steady. A beaming Arthur was swooped up into the embrace.

Kitty wiped her eyes. Yes, most definitely, just a marriage of convenience, she thought. 

With a smile, she stopped filming, turned off her phone and she and Archie joined the group hug.


End file.
